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Consumers urged to help save cod stocks
By Amanda Brown,
Environment Correspondent, PA News
NEWS.scotsman.com
Consumer action to protect dwindling fish stocks was urged today by wildlife campaigners.
The call by the Marine Conservation Society coincided with a meeting between Prime Minister Tony Blair and fishing industry leaders.
The society is also launching the second edition of its Good Fish Guide, first published in February 2002.
It contains the latest scientific information on the state of fish stocks as well as information about how fish are caught and its environmental and social impacts.
For the consumer concerned about the impact of eating fish on the marine environment and its wildlife, the guide provides specific advice on which fish to avoid and which to eat.
The society is using the guide to work with retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Tesco to raise awareness and so improve the sustainability of the fisheries.
Bernadette Clarke, Fisheries Officer with the MCS, said: “Cod stocks are at their lowest ever recorded levels and urgent action is needed to prevent their collapse in the very near future.
“Sadly scientific advice has consistently been ignored in favour of weaker measures to protect stocks.
“Politicians and the industry itself have blown it. Only consumers can save cod now.
“If consumers want to continue eating cod they should only buy cod caught in Icelandic waters where stock levels are currently good and management is considered to be sustainable.
“Individuals can further reduce their impact on the marine environment by choosing only line-caught fish.
“Line fishing is more selective, causes less damage to the seabed and fish stocks and provides more jobs as it is a more labour intensive method of fishing.
“We also need to diversify our taste in fish and so relieve demand for more traditional species such as cod, haddock and plaice, and support local fisheries.”
However, awareness is increasing amongst retailers and consumers about the state of European and other fish stocks and the need to conserve them, Ms Clarke went on.
In response, some supermarkets which supply about 80% of our fresh fish, are reviewing their sourcing policies and removing threatened species from their shelves.
Since the publication of the first edition of the Good Fish Guide, Marks & Spencer has removed swordfish, Atlantic halibut, monkfish, thornback ray and bigeye tuna from its shelves.
The company has also extended its flatfish range to include witch (Torbay sole) and dab and so relieve pressure on more traditional flatfish species such as plaice.
Waitrose has also recently stopped selling Chilean seabass and thornback ray and Tesco has removed ling and all ling products from its shelves.
Neither Marks & Spencer nor Waitrose sells cod from the North or Irish Seas and all fresh fish is line caught.
Copies of the Good Fish Guide are available from MCS or may be ordered online at www.mcsuk.org for £10 (inc P&P) per copy. Proceeds from sales of the guide will be used to support projects to promote sustainable fisheries.
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